New freelancing, suggestions please

[smurf4t]

Hi. I'm new to all of this. I take a pretty good photo and am relatively good at photoshop. I have a 60d canon, tripod, wide angel, 50mm 1:8, 70-200 f4L, lens, remote, external flash. What other kit should I get??

I'll mainly be doing lifestyle , portrait photography of children and families. I have been asked to do product photography. - Of large items such as fish tank cupboards. What lighting would you use?

 

[Trever1t]

WTH?

Where's my popcorn?

 

[cgipson1]

Hi. I'm new to all of this. I take a pretty good photo and am relatively good at photoshop. I have a 60d canon, tripod, wide angel, 50mm 1:8, 70-200 f4L, lens, remote, external flash. What other kit should I get??

I'll mainly be doing lifestyle , portrait photography of children and families. I have been asked to do product photography. - Of large items such as fish tank cupboards. What lighting would you use?

Wide Angel? Is that like an Obese Heavenly Being?

 

[KmH]

Lets cover some basics.

Constant lights are ambient lighting, and exposure is controlled normally. Constant lights have to be pretty powerful if shutter speeds less than 1 second will be used. A 500 watt constant light delivers the 500 Watts over 1 second, so if a shutter speed of 1/100 is used only 1/100th of the 500 watts, 5 watts, can be used to make a 1/100 of a second exposure.

Strobe light (flash) exposure is controlled using the lens aperture, while the exposure of any ambient light in the scene is controlled with the shutter speed.
Strobed light is delivered in a fairly short period of time. A hot shoe speedlight delivers a full power flash in about 1/1000 of a second. Consequently, strobed light can be used to stop motion in lieu of relying on shutter speed to stop motion.
Studio type monolights are more powerdul than hot shoe flash units and usually deliver a full power flash in a somewhat longer period of time, 1/500 of a second or so.

Both hot shoe speedlights and studio monolights are apparently small light sources. Small light sources deliver harsh light and sharp shadow edges. Most portrait, lifestyle, product photography is done using soft light and diffuse shadow edges, which require modifying the light source so it is apparently very much larger. Various sizes of photographic umbrellas, brollyboxes, softboxes, diffusion panels, scrims. flags, etc. are needed to accommodate the various setups needed.

 

[KmH]

Wide Angel? Is that like an Obese Heavenly Being?

Relax. :er: It's likely just a typographical error.

 

[tirediron]

Hi. I'm new to all of this. I take a pretty good photo and am relatively good at photoshop...

By whose definition? If it's a friend, relative, or family member, ignore it. Have you actually received accolades for your work from someone who doesn't know you, but does have photographic knowledge?

 

[Derrel]

I would buy a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 zoom lens. And I would actually spend MOST of my spare money and or time on Photoshop training books or lessons, and also spend some serious time working on a business plan. I would suggest that I put those steps in reverse order of importance. Kind of like a riddle or puzzle...I do not think more "gear" is what you need, but instead more business-side prep and planning. You could easily buy another $25,000 worth of great gear, but if the business side can't get into first, then second, then third, and finally into fourth gear, you'll be left at the starting line, just revving the engine...

 

[imagemaker46]

Hi. I'm new to all of this. I take a pretty good photo and am relatively good at photoshop...

By whose definition? If it's a friend, relative, or family member, ignore it. Have you actually received accolades for your work from someone who doesn't know you, but does have phtoographic knowledge?

I like what you have said here tirediron, all very true. I know lots of people that take "a pretty good photo" does this mean that you are going freelance as a full time photographer based on taking a pretty good photo?

 

[jamesbjenkins]

Hi. I'm new to all of this. I take a pretty good photo and am relatively good at photoshop...

By whose definition? If it's a friend, relative, or family member, ignore it. Have you actually received accolades for your work from someone who doesn't know you, but does have photographic knowledge?

+1.

"Pretty good photo" coming from a family member or friend probably means it belongs in the trashcan if anyone is paying for that image. "Relatively good" with Photoshop doesn't mean anything. You either know how to do what you need to do, or you don't.

OP, KMH's post covers the basics well. The only product photography I've done is on small items, mostly jewelry. For that, I use a "light box" for lack of a better term. It's a homemade thing I made using diffusion panels and speedlights. It does a great job of eliminating unwanted shadows.

Good luck with your blossoming business!

 

[smurf4t]

Lets cover some basics.

Constant lights are ambient lighting, and exposure is controlled normally. Constant lights have to be pretty powerful if shutter speeds less than 1 second will be used. A 500 watt constant light delivers the 500 Watts over 1 second, so if a shutter speed of 1/100 is used only 1/100th of the 500 watts, 5 watts, can be used to make a 1/100 of a second exposure.

Strobe light (flash) exposure is controlled using the lens aperture, while the exposure of any ambient light in the scene is controlled with the shutter speed.
Strobed light is delivered in a fairly short period of time. A hot shoe speedlight delivers a full power flash in about 1/1000 of a second. Consequently, strobed light can be used to stop motion in lieu of relying on shutter speed to stop motion.
Studio type monolights are more powerdul than hot shoe flash units and usually deliver a full power flash in a somewhat longer period of time, 1/500 of a second or so.

Both hot shoe speedlights and studio monolights are apparently small light sources. Small light sources deliver harsh light and sharp shadow edges. Most portrait, lifestyle, product photography is done using soft light and diffuse shadow edges, which require modifying the light source so it is apparently very much larger. Various sizes of photographic umbrellas, brollyboxes, softboxes, diffusion panels, scrims. flags, etc. are needed to accommodate the various setups needed.

Thank you so much. Clearly I need to rethink things. Not sure I might do this now. Sounds like it might be overly difficult to photograph for an amateur.

 

[smurf4t]

I would buy a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 zoom lens. And I would actually spend MOST of my spare money and or time on Photoshop training books or lessons, and also spend some serious time working on a business plan. I would suggest that I put those steps in reverse order of importance. Kind of like a riddle or puzzle...I do not think more "gear" is what you need, but instead more business-side prep and planning. You could easily buy another $25,000 worth of great gear, but if the business side can't get into first, then second, then third, and finally into fourth gear, you'll be left at the starting line, just revving the engine...

Thanks Derrel. I want to start off slow and build my business slowly. I could easily buy LOADS of gear. But from what I got you think a good 17-50mm is still a must for my kit? Should I get any other must have kits? Agreed on lessons, I could do more of those.

 

[smurf4t]

I like what you have said here tirediron, all very true. I know lots of people that take "a pretty good photo" does this mean that you are going freelance as a full time photographer based on taking a pretty good photo?

It would be based on me having a passion and love for photography. I've been working on my photography for a while. I've had a few people ask me to take pictures for them for a fee. And now I want to branch out a bit more one bit at a time.

 

[smurf4t]

WTH?

Where's my popcorn?

???

 

[imagemaker46]

WTH?

Where's my popcorn?

??

When another amateur comes along and makes a statement regardless of how vague, making a claim that they are ready to challenge the world of professional photography this forum usually turns into a overwhelming display of drama. It really doesn't matter that 99% are amateurs, it becomes a land of personal attacks. In my case, as one of the few professionals I usually just speak my mind, and always end up pissing someone off because they disagree with my views, and that adding photographer or photography doesn't turn an amateur into a sudden professional. If they start their bios off with "I have always had a passion for photography and have been told I have a good eye for pictures" It usually means that they are still, and always will be amateurs.

 

[KmH]

Photography is not anywhere close to doing rocket science, but photography has both artistic and techncial aspects that have to be learned to do photography consistantly well.

Then there is the issue of having a photography business, where - marketing, promotion, bookkeeping, salemanship, product developement, client relations, client service, legal considerations like contracts, copyright, model/property releases, delivery memo's, business, use, and sales taxes all come into play.